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Steve Kent blasts Nintendo, 7 rules for fixing nintendo
- Thread starter Random_Hajile
- Start date
Good point. As development/production costs continue to rise, we're just going to keep seeing development houses being sucked up by larger companies. It's simply too expense for some of these people to develop a game for one console with a limited market share, let alone all three consoles.border said:
There is plenty of room for this industry to grow, but at the cost of the smaller developers IMO.
Good article...
Don't be delusional in thinking that Nintendo has a haven in Japan. If anything their mindshare over there has gotten worse than in the west because people in the west are far more nostalgic and people in Japan are all about the latest and greatest...pop stars over there are chewed up and spit out within months of their debut.
Go troll the 2ch boards for proof...most Japanese people think Nintendo shouldn't release Revolution and should develop for PS3.
Don't be delusional in thinking that Nintendo has a haven in Japan. If anything their mindshare over there has gotten worse than in the west because people in the west are far more nostalgic and people in Japan are all about the latest and greatest...pop stars over there are chewed up and spit out within months of their debut.
Go troll the 2ch boards for proof...most Japanese people think Nintendo shouldn't release Revolution and should develop for PS3.
SolidSnakex
Member
SantaCruZer said:
I don't think he's saying that's all Nintendo should make, he's saying Nintendo should use some balance. They have US developers, have them develop these types of games. They need some that appeal to the biggest market. Last generation the entire top 10 best selling games in the US were filled with games on the N64. This gen they have exactly 1 game in the top 10 best sellers (SSBM), and by the time this gen ends that'll likely be pushed out (its at #8 now and with GTASA, HALO 2 and GT4, its not going to last). So it's not like they can sit on there existing market because its very clear that their market is shrinking while Sony and MS continue to expand their markets.
Ignatz Mouse
Banned
Other than the ideas to fix Nintendo, the one message I get from this is:
Nintendo can't be late to the next gen. They have historically come late, but that was riding on the high popularity of previous systems. SNES could be late because NES was dominant. N64 could be late because SNES had been dominant. Cube couldn't really affort to be late, and Nintendo is suffering as a result.
Being later to market gets Nintendo systems with cheaper bang-for-the-buck (and hence more profitable for them) but it's cost them marketshare every time. That says to me that they need to be launching with the Xbox or the PS3, whichever comes first.
Nintendo can't be late to the next gen. They have historically come late, but that was riding on the high popularity of previous systems. SNES could be late because NES was dominant. N64 could be late because SNES had been dominant. Cube couldn't really affort to be late, and Nintendo is suffering as a result.
Being later to market gets Nintendo systems with cheaper bang-for-the-buck (and hence more profitable for them) but it's cost them marketshare every time. That says to me that they need to be launching with the Xbox or the PS3, whichever comes first.
ge-man said:
I think Nintendo already knows who they are selling their games to, but Nintendo realizes they aren't getting anywhere by selling only to them. That is why you see the Resident Evils and Eternal Darknesses. Nintendo is desperately seeking new people to buy its' products because the people they are used to selling their games to simply aren't buying from them anymore.
seismologist
Banned
I think Nintendo is doing fine in most areas. 3rd party support is "good enough". My only complaint is they need to start making more first party mature franchises and stop putting Mario in everything.
Error Macro
Member
Fix said:
Actually, he's dead on, there.
Nintendo are so wrapped up in maximizing profit, that they deliver the cheapest hardware possible. Freakin' idiots. Microsoft lost money on the Xbox... But look at what it has: digital video out, digital audio out, a built in ethernet card, a hard drive. Nintendo has none of these things now, with their recent removal of the digital video out port on the 101 models. All because they saved a couple of dollars per unit. Screw them. I'm the freaking consumer; I want my investment to be worthwhile. They should be loading the Revolution down with all the features they could possibly fit in it.
Azih said:
The next gen begins late this year and early next. Zelda likely will be out only months before Revolution - if it's as good as expected, the "buzz" surrounding it among the hardcore will be relatively recent in mind by the time Rev hits.
I'm not talking about retaining marketshare, I'm talking about retaining mindshare (among the hardcore). Nintendo traditionally has a good (great!) reputation with the hardcore, and they need to defend/maintain that going into next generation - Zelda alone could do that if it proves worthy of its apparent heritage (TOoT).
binary said:
I still don't think they know who they are selling to. They have no lock on the youth market, though I don't think Sony will ever admit to leading Nintendo in this area because they definately know who they are trying to appeal to. Interest from kids is a side effect of their general success.
Nintendo obvious doesn't have any lock on an older crowd either despite the fact that the GC gets most of the same 3rd party games and has a mature series (formerly) exclusive to them.
I think the Nintendo fan is a strange beast and I think the sooner they figure out why they seem to appeal to certain people, the more successful Nintendo will be in the long run in terms in attracting people who currently aren't gaming or are not totally satisfied with their other options.
ToxicAdam said:
I disagree. I thought Sega was better than Nintendo (software wise) when they had their Dreamcast machine but it seems like they lost their passion when they went third party. I feel supporting your own console brings the best out of you. Who's to say that the same thing won't happen to Nintendo, especially noting that Sony and MS will be throwing tons of cash around for their own exclusive Nintendo titles?
Funky Papa
FUNK-Y-PPA-4
You have no fuckin' idea of how true is this. In today's market smaller publications are becoming more and more important to promote games, do you realize that TeamXbox was nothing but a (still) terrible fansite? Now is a part of IGN and has millions of readers. Both Sony and MS have courted fansites with free games, trips, exclusive material and some insights on certain titles, knowing that they are going to be more enthusiastic and much cheaper than the pros, heck Sony has built entire fansites to promote their games, they are THE MASTERS of viral marketing. Yet, Nintendo still embraces their hollier than you attitude, alienating not just fansites but small printed publications. Do you know how fucking stupid is to BUY Nintendo games to review them one month later because they won't send you jackshit while any other companies from the business are sending you free games and even relatively expensive hardware to test? They need to get off of their white horse, a large part of PlayStation's brand strenght came from independent magazines small websites and radio programs.
/small mag freelancer rant off
Does someone want to suggest an objective way to determine Nintendo's relative quality versus other publishers? Gamerankings?
Historically I would say Nintendo is peerless, but in recent times the gap is probably narrower. But even in the last few years, between GC and GB, there have been many exceptional titles from them.
edit - Had a look at gamerankings - gee, what a waste. All those reviews and they can't offer such interesting statistics as average score by publisher etc.
Historically I would say Nintendo is peerless, but in recent times the gap is probably narrower. But even in the last few years, between GC and GB, there have been many exceptional titles from them.
edit - Had a look at gamerankings - gee, what a waste. All those reviews and they can't offer such interesting statistics as average score by publisher etc.
Funky Papa said:
Agreed. IGNcube and similar sites are depresing places to visit most of the time. It's only when Nintendo finally decides to grace the media with new information on upcomming developments do these places perk up (think those new Zelda images back in November.) But most of the time these sites are a downer.
I also wish that Nintendo would either allow for more unoffical Nintendo mags or at least revamp Nintendo Power and start looking at demo discs as a neccesity and not as a treat to the fans.
You nailed it. I still remember the day our local TV games channel (Game One) was showing Majora's Mask, and they guy was explaining that they had the beta game CHAINED to a N64, and they would have both console and game only for 24 hours. And that was one week before the game would be released in France, a game that was already available in the US and Japan since some time.Funky Papa said:
It's been getting a bit better this generation, but I know that at least some time ago Gamekult (2nd biggest french gaming site and best content wise) still did not have a beta gamecube so they could do previews.
DJ Demon J
Banned
Heh, if Steve posted here the mods would ban him for picking on Nintendo, and then he'd get a tag.
The GBA is obsolete? I'm sorry, but you can't just say something that definitive and back it up with NOTHING, as the present sales would certainly disagree. The PSP is no doubt going to be great, but I don't think it's quite the dramatic Nintendo back-breaker Kent's clearly making it out to be, especially since you're basically going to have to murder a Gamestop clerk to obtain one initially.
Funky Papa
FUNK-Y-PPA-4
Being fair I'm not being objective, I am just a former Nintendo fan and it hurts me to see how they are still embracing their wrong attitudes. I don't manage GC stuff, but it's shocking to see how your friends are still waiting for Nintendo's response while other companies are sending discs and fresh media on regular basis.
A large part of PlayStation's brand was built thanks to music gigs, trendy magazines, small outlets and hip publications, kinda like the iPod but years before. Nintendo needs to wake up, 80's marketing won't cut it anymore.
A large part of PlayStation's brand was built thanks to music gigs, trendy magazines, small outlets and hip publications, kinda like the iPod but years before. Nintendo needs to wake up, 80's marketing won't cut it anymore.
Funky Papa said:
cry me a river. "I don't get my freebies + stuff to line my pockets." If you stopped at the statement regarding courting fans + mainstream.
+
seriously who reads small publication? - XBN and GMR had to close as did countless others. Its crap like EGM + GI that sells. I thnk you might have overvalued your "opinions" with regards to the whole "my review opinion counts." Plus Teamxbox grew to its size because the userbase is rabid and that website was extremely polished. Non of the cube sites are comparable with (a similar loaded front end + great forum)
Nintendo killed nintendo with its kiddy design + output in parts. Nintendo is not cool and it will be interesting to see its fortunes next gen. Nintendo is currently killing the mario franchise. We shall see how bad it gets.
mumu said:
IAWTP. And can someone refresh me who Steve Kent is? Is he from EA? I think he is anyhow.
Funky Papa
FUNK-Y-PPA-4
ROTFLMAO :lolOdnetnin said:
I'm getting more games per month than many people on a entire year, way more than I can play. And as I said, I don't do Nintendo stuff.
GamerDiva said:I disagree. I thought Sega was better than Nintendo (software wise) when they had their Dreamcast machine but it seems like they lost their passion when they went third party. I feel supporting your own console brings the best out of you. Who's to say that the same thing won't happen to Nintendo, especially noting that Sony and MS will be throwing tons of cash around for their own exclusive Nintendo titles?
/me points to the "million unit sellers thread" posted today. Sega has nothing on Nintendo in terms of franchises.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0761536434/Odnetnin said:
He is (was) a very respected writer, and this book is a reference.
Musashi Wins!
FLAWLESS VICTOLY!
Odnetnin said:
Steve Kent >>>>> you. By quite a sizeable margin, actually.
I don't think Nintendo should or could out-GTA GTA. 'Americanizing' and following the trends now is a bit too late, there is no way of anticipating when the market would change. What is happening in Japan may happen in the west. I agree about diversifying and creating a parallel brand like 'Miramax' for Disney, but I think Nintendo has been trying and was just unlucky this gen with second-parties: Rare turning into a useless parasite that has to be thrown off and troubles with Retro. If Retro delivered all that Nintendo hoped and Rare was still at their N64 level, the picture would be very different now, especially if titles like Metroid Prime and RE4 were delivered earlier.
So, with Retro now in order and better third-parties relations, i think Nintendo has to take matters into its own hands and just work really hard to create the Next Big Thing. The Next Big Thing, first of all has to be 'New'. Secondly, it has to be 'Big' (the most difficult thing). But thirdly, it also has to be a 'Thing' which means it has to be imitable, it must have followers, it must spark a trend, which is why the DS, great though it is, will never be a 'big thing' since it won't have followers.
They've done it a few time before with the NES, the Game Boy and then the Pokemon. Three hits from a company is pretty good. The only way to make Nintendo 'cool' is to make the GTA and EA culture uncool, to make them a thing of the past. The iPod, the has done that to Sony and displaced the Walkman. I agree with the article that it needs to deliver with the Revolution, but it should not imitate. Lets take the PC market for example, when the bubble bursted only two companies made profits, Dell and Apple. Apple could not out-Dell Dell, but it still has its market and its way to do things. Apple's been proclaimed 'dead' so many time, but Jobs said they would 'innovate' their way out of the downturn, look where they're now. It'd be a miracle if Nintendo actually delivers the next big thing, and i wouldn't hold my breath, but if they 'Americanise' too much they'll just be an alsoran. The only thing they absolutely HAVE to do is to get a much much better marketing dep and a brilliant ad agency on their side.
So, with Retro now in order and better third-parties relations, i think Nintendo has to take matters into its own hands and just work really hard to create the Next Big Thing. The Next Big Thing, first of all has to be 'New'. Secondly, it has to be 'Big' (the most difficult thing). But thirdly, it also has to be a 'Thing' which means it has to be imitable, it must have followers, it must spark a trend, which is why the DS, great though it is, will never be a 'big thing' since it won't have followers.
They've done it a few time before with the NES, the Game Boy and then the Pokemon. Three hits from a company is pretty good. The only way to make Nintendo 'cool' is to make the GTA and EA culture uncool, to make them a thing of the past. The iPod, the has done that to Sony and displaced the Walkman. I agree with the article that it needs to deliver with the Revolution, but it should not imitate. Lets take the PC market for example, when the bubble bursted only two companies made profits, Dell and Apple. Apple could not out-Dell Dell, but it still has its market and its way to do things. Apple's been proclaimed 'dead' so many time, but Jobs said they would 'innovate' their way out of the downturn, look where they're now. It'd be a miracle if Nintendo actually delivers the next big thing, and i wouldn't hold my breath, but if they 'Americanise' too much they'll just be an alsoran. The only thing they absolutely HAVE to do is to get a much much better marketing dep and a brilliant ad agency on their side.